Champion Chooks: Big win for school's quirky club

A new initiative at Vasse Primary School is bringing joy to students each day, while teaching them about responsibility, compassion, and care.

The school’s Chicken Club takes place each Wednesday and Thursday during playtime, and provides students with the opportunity to form friendships with feathered companions, Cinnamon Scroll, Apple Pie, and Curry Puff.

“As part of Chicken Club, students are able to observe the chickens and learn from their interactions within the hen house,” Club Coordinator Kylie Van Ranzow explained.

“The chickens play a role in teaching our students about compassion, animal husbandry, and sustainable living practices.”

With the Busselton Agricultural Show looming, Chicken Club members were keen to enter their three Hyline hens in the annual judging.

“Previously, there was a challenge in finding a suitable category, as agricultural shows typically only showcase purebred animals,” Kylie said.

“The Busselton Agricultural Show went above and beyond for our students by creating a new category in the Junior U14 section, Crossbred Backyard Chooks.

“This enabled our chickens to participate and showcase the students’ newly acquired animal husbandry skills.”

Preparing the chickens for the show was no small task, requiring the efforts of senior Chicken Club members who washed the chickens multiple times with different solutions, ensuring every speck of dirt and grime was removed.

“They paid meticulous attention to cleaning around the delicate facial features of the hens, blow-dried their feathers, and oiled their legs.

“Additional care was taken to ensure the hens were pest-free and in good overall health before the show.”

Excitement was at an all time high when Apple Pie was awarded first prize and Champion Hen for the new category.

“This success was the result of the hard work and dedication of her team, including Caitlyn Bruse, Kalani Walker, Saffron Ninness, and all our other club members who put in tremendous effort to ensure our hens looked their best for the show,” Kylie said.

“It was a proud moment for our school to see the support from Vasse Primary families.

“Many Vasse families’ chickens won prizes on the day, and we are grateful to Vasse Vets for sponsoring this division and for their support and care with our school chickens.”

Kylie said the school’s participation highlighted the initiative’s success in connecting students to the wider community.

“We are proud of our Chicken Club members and the achievements they have accomplished, and we look forward to continuing to foster compassion, responsibility, and sustainable practices through our beloved hens.”